Let’s start with the definition of Chess. It is a 64 square board game with two players on opposite sides playing strategically against themselves. Important is to mention “strategically”. Although it is said that the game originated from India, chess is now an exciting worldwide game and players seek whatever they can to advance and to become Grand Master and win world titles. Is the journey long, who is predetermined to dominate the chess game and who will never pass 2000 ELO? We are going to focus from one single point of you – do chess databases help the player or they are counter productive?
Because of the love and popularity of the game, chess had grown over the years with millions of players and tournaments; it seems right that there is a database containing information about most if not all of the games played. And that is indeed Opening Master. The collection of all human chess games since 1900 which is used by different chess players for different purpose.
WHAT IS A CHESS DATABASE?
Chess database is more like a miracle bestowed on the world of chess over the years. Most people have little to no idea about the power of chess database and therefore do not have access to it.
The Opening Master chess database is a collection of historical chess games that have been played over the years. This database as a collection is used by graphic user interface programs such as Chessbase that allow users to perform many activities offline or online. Because it is a database it contains various games played by all chess legends all over the world, from your neighbour playing local tournament, your own games or any Grand Master throughout the history; it is easier to learn more about the game if you want to become a professional at the game, if you have a tournament or competition to prepare for or if you are just curious about the game.
Chess database also allows you to learn from players that are stronger than yourself at the game. Even though this database contains information about previous games, it also allows you to play your own games and even play with other users on the platform.
Chess database also helps you to analyse your games and the games of others before you. Many have used these databases to their advantage over the years for tournaments and competitions. Indeed, there is a question mark about legitimacy of misuse of chess databases during the correspondence chess tournament or Olympic games but again with today’s AI and super engines no one can be sure. Therefore to be 100% sure your brain is “not connected” to any computer or chess database, you need to play chess outside in the park.
Databases are not only collection of chess games but also of chess positions and moves of players over the years. The moves that matter and those that have cost players their games can all be found on a chess database.
With all the data found on a chess database such as Opening Master, it is quite impossible for you not to be a master at chess yourself if you use this database to its best possible use.
This article is part of Newcomers series for better understanding the background and need of chess databases. If you have questions about particular usage of chess database please refer to our tutorials or contact us directly.
Opening Master Team
